Top 10: Must-See European Locales

Number 7

Edinburgh, Scotland

Get in touch with your Highland roots in this crazy mix-bag of a city that blends old and new in funky ways. In addition to the old castles and mansions, you'll find a roaring nightlife, thanks to the vibrant students at the University of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Castle should be your first destination, as it dominates the city center. Walk down multi-colored Victoria Street and then catch a view of the city from Calton Hill, worthy of a whole film roll. At night, frolic with the city's young crowd at Grassmarket, which features a trendy collection of pubs, bars and restaurants.

Number 6

Rome, Italy

Get your gladiator mojo on and get ready to battle the barrage of pleasures charging at you from all sides. Rome is paradise for the glutton and ecstasy for the history buff. Of course you'll want to see its calling card, the Coliseum, and snake through the Forum, the political center of ancient Rome. As you head to the Pantheon, you'll come across the monuments and mausoleums of great emperors.

Take a breather at the Trevi Fountain, where young lovers are known to embrace by the impressive statues, then chill out in Rome's most famous square (between Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinita dei Monti), where the Spanish Steps are. If you want to gawk at the most exaggerated parade of wealth per square foot, check out the Vatican.

What not to miss: Between every landmark you see, grab a slice of pizza, a cup of gelato, or a prosciutto panini from Rome's mobile food cars and street corners. It's a snacker's dream.

Number 5

London, United Kingdom

The UK's biggest city is maddeningly huge; it can be considered a human ant farm, where personal space is a relic of the past. But despite the exhausting bustle, it remains one of the coolest cities in the world. You can feel the contrast between the overstated opulence of Buckingham Palace and the chaos of Camden Market, the top shopping spot. London is a city that revels in extremes.

Covent Garden is ideal for the overpriced kitsch shopper, but if you want to sample real "punk" Britain, head to Kensington and get a tattoo and studded leather jacket at a discount. Give your nod to democracy at the Houses of Parliament ("Yo, Big Ben!"), cringe at medieval torture tools at the Tower of London, and finally treat yourself to mindless arcade and video game fun at the Trocadero.

What not to miss: Madame Tussauds wax museum has replicas of celebrities that look too real to be fake.

From the hot women in Prague and Barcelona to the amazing sites of Venice, these cities should put Europe on your map...